"Ever since I can remember, Mom and I lived together in Grass Village. We didn't have much back then, but being with her was the happiest part of my life. Then one day, they accidentally discovered that Mom could heal people's injuries. From that moment on, Mom was locked away, and I was placed under surveillance. Every time someone got hurt, they'd drag Mom around and bite into her skin to heal themselves. Day by day, Mom just kept getting weaker and weaker. This kind of life went on for years until finally… she couldn't take it anymore."
Thinking about how her mother had died brought tears streaming down Karin's face.
"There, there, Karin. Don't cry. You'll live in Konoha from now on! Grandpa Third will help you get an ID card. Starting today, no one will ever bully you again!"
The Third Hokage affectionately patted Karin's head before turning his gaze toward the two Grass Village ninja lying on the ground, his eyes filled with killing intent.
"Masked Yu, throw them back to Grass Village. Let Grass provide a reasonable explanation regarding Karin, or else prepare yourselves for Konoha's declaration of war!"
"Yes." Masked Yu appeared silently, effortlessly picked up the two Grass ninja—one in each hand—and left. The two Grass Village ninja, who had originally hoped the Third would stand up for them, were now overwhelmed with pure despair.
"Grandpa Third, Karin is going to live with Sasuke now. Hurry up and send the ID over!" Sakura waved goodbye directly at the Third, dragging everyone out before he could even respond. "We need to get ready for the exam later. See you!"
Chapter 188 – Defiance Against Leadership Never Ends Well
The Third stretched out his hand as if to call out to Sakura and the others. But before he could say a word, the whole group had already vanished without a trace, leaving only Kakashi behind, pretending to read Make Out Paradise carefully.
"Ah, Third-sama, I should probably go outside too. I still have some advice to give Sakura and the others before the exam."
After apologizing to the Third, Kakashi quickly ran off as well.
"Oh well, consider this a form of consolation for the Uchiha clan!" The Third sighed, ultimately saying nothing further. After all, the Uchiha clan now had only Sasuke left. No matter how close Karin became to him, there wouldn't be any serious problems. As for whatever reaction Danzo might have later, the Third decided he would deal with it himself.
At the wide open exam site, many genin from different villages gathered together. Standing on a raised platform, the Third Hokage addressed the crowd eloquently.
"Man, Grandpa Third gets more and more talkative with age!" Sakura sighed helplessly while rubbing her ear. The Third had been speaking nonstop for over twenty minutes and still showed absolutely no sign of tiring. Doesn't he get chapped lips at his age?
"I'm so sleepy!" Naruto stood motionless, lowering his head as his eyelids began drooping. The Third's voice sounded just like a lullaby, gradually making him drowsy—even standing upright, he started feeling like nodding off.
"Here, put these in your ears!"
Sakura pulled out a bunch of earplugs and secretly handed them out to everyone. Once they put the earplugs in, everyone suddenly felt like the whole world had gone blissfully silent.
"The Chunin Exams are essentially a reflection of wars between countries. Your performance in these exams not only represents your personal abilities but also reflects the image of your ninja village—and even your nation."
After spending more than half an hour explaining Konoha's glorious history, the Third Hokage began discussing the true significance of the Chunin Exams. The Third could clearly see all the brats in the arena plugging their ears, and it really got under his skin.
"Wanting to become a Chunin isn't simply about achieving good results; the most critical part is how you perform during the exam. As long as your performance is excellent enough, you can still become a Chunin even if you don't win during the third stage of the exam."
"Lord Third, please allow me to take over from here," said Hayate Gekko, his voice interrupted by frequent coughs. Perhaps Hayate Gekko, whose dark eye circles and pale complexion made him look like someone suffering from overindulgence in pleasures and who coughed constantly while speaking, could no longer bear the Third's lengthy speech, so he stepped forward on one knee and interrupted.
"Well then, I won't talk any longer. Old man me has spoken enough. Hayate, the preliminary rounds will now be handed over to you!"
The Third appeared somewhat displeased. He hadn't finished speaking yet. It was such a rare opportunity—originally hoping he could continue lecturing for several more hours. However, Hayate Gekko, this person who clearly lacked sensitivity, actually came out interrupting him. This kid just never knew when to keep his mouth shut.
As revenge, the Third had already decided in his mind to send Yugao Uzuki on a long-term mission—let this perpetually coughing fellow truly feel what heartache feels like.
"Finally it's over! Senpai Hayate is really a great guy," Naruto said casually as he removed his earplugs, casting a grateful gaze toward Hayate Gekko.
"Not just a good guy—he's got real guts!"
Regarding Hayate Gekko, who played a minor character with limited appearances, Sakura had a pretty clear memory of him. First, it seemed unbelievable that this guy, appearing so worn-out and unhealthy, actually had a beautiful girlfriend. And secondly, she really respected how fearless he was to actually interrupt the Third Hokage's speech.
As we all know, those who go against leaders typically don't fare well—for instance, Xiu Nian, the senior apprentice brother who failed to promptly assist the deputy leader and ended up dying off-screen as punishment, and now someone like Hayate Gekko, who dared interrupt his superior's address and soon met an unfortunate fate. These two cases teach us a lesson: unless absolutely necessary, never recklessly challenge authority—it may easily cost you your life.
Of course, Sakura had more than once cynically speculated that the reason Hayate Gekko died so early might very well be related to his name. Everyone knows that after Naruto returned from his training, the full title of the series changed to "Naruto: Shippuden" (meaning 'Hurricane Chronicles'). Yet this sickly-looking background character was named Hayate—wasn't that practically trying to steal the spotlight from the main act? So, under the will of the universe, Hayate—who was still young and already had a gorgeous girlfriend—could do nothing but bite the bullet and exit stage left.
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